Pay Packages
McGriff Transportation: McGriff Transportation Inc. of Cullman, Ala., has announced a new pay package for all independent contractors. Effective immediately, the plan eliminates all administrative fees while raising the base pay per mile.
Additional new benefits include:
- Tag rental charge will be waived for owner-operators who have been completely accident free for a minimum of 12 months.
- Quarterly IFTA taxes will be waived for any owner-operator who operates a satellite unit and utilizes recommended fuel tactics while achieving a minimum 80 percent compliance rating each quarter.
- One free truck wash per month for all McGriff owner-operators.
Barr-Nunn: Barr-Nunn Transportation has increased Band Pay levels for owner-operators.
The Band Pay exceeds the owner-operator base rate on all loads picked up and delivered up to 1,000 miles in length.
This increase, along with the company’s Practical Mile Pay and $1.19 per gallon Guaranteed Fuel Protection Program, are some of Barr-Nunn’s most recent efforts to increase wages for owner-operators.
Missouri Driver of the Month
The Missouri Motor Carrier’s Association has named Robert Conger of Enosburg, Vt., as the state’s Driver of the Month for June 2006.
Conger was selected for the award by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the State Highway Patrol, the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Division of Highway Safety from nominations submitted by a number of companies.
Conger, who is married and has three children, is contracted to the Missouri-based carrier, Prime Inc. He has been with Prime for eight years, and has 21 years of driving with other companies.
In nearly 4 million miles on the road, Conger has never been involved in an accident. He has received Prime’s annual safe driving award every year since he joined the company in 1997. Prime also named him Contractor of the Year in 2000.
Celadon Health Care Program
Celadon Trucking Services, an Indianapolis-based transportation firm, is trying to cut health care costs with a new employee initiative called “Highway 2 Health.”
In partnership with Community Health Network’s Occupational Health program and Health Promotions divisions, Celadon has placed a health care team within its Wellness Center, located at the company’s corporate headquarters. The team is comprised of a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, medical assistant and a health promotions specialist.
The “Highway 2 Health” initiative includes mandatory physical exams and substance abuse testing required by the Department of Transportation for over-the-road drivers. All Celadon employees in the United States can get health screenings that will measure blood pressure, body mass, glucose and lipid profiles.
Employees who participate in the program will receive a confidential report on the state of their health along with a plan of action to control problems. They will also have access to the onsite medical personnel, who can provide immediate care, individual health coaching, health education and medical consultations.
Celadon will receive summary reports with group health data that will help direct future wellness initiatives.
Bull Dog Award Winner
CTL Distribution Inc. named Illinois native Roy Witthoft as the winner of the August Bull Dog Award.
Witthoft, a tank truck driver from the company’s East St. Louis, Mo., terminal, has not had an accident since he started driving for CTL in 1998. Prior to becoming a professional driver, he served in the U.S. Air Force and spent five years teaching.
Witthoft was recognized for the company’s most prestigious honor because of his willingness to help other drivers, his industry and customer knowledge and his team player attitude.
Decker Drivers
Iowa-based Decker Truck Line has announced its Drivers of the Month for July 2006.
Gary Moneypenny was selected as the Driver of the Month for the Flatbed division. Moneypenny resides in Overton, Texas, with his wife, Lisa. He has been a company driver with Decker since March 2002.
Selected as Driver of the Month for the Reefer/Van division was Jerry Staton. He has been with Decker since August 1985 and resides in Sac City, Iowa, with his wife, Cathy. He is a member of Decker’s Million Mile Team and has more than 2 million safe miles.
Transport America Honors Drivers
Transport America recognized six company drivers and contractors as June Drivers of the Month.
Company drivers included David Richmond, a driver with Transport America for eight months, and Robert Burlingame, who has been driving with the company for eight years and is active on the PPG Fleet. Greg Payne, a first-place winner in the 2006 Minnesota State Truck Driving Championships, also received the award. He has been with Transport America for 10 years.
Also honored were professional contractors Justice Bilson, who has been with Transport America for eight years, and Thomas Warrick, a nine-year Transport America driver. Norman Weinstein, a former recruiter for the company and a March 2006 Driver of the Month, also won the award.
Maverick Drivers of the Month
Maverick Transportation has announced the recipients of the company’s Driver of the Month award for the second quarter of 2006.
April’s Driver of the Month is Marvin Cranford of Redfield, Ark. The winner for May is Scott Schwarzlose of Brookston, Ind., and the June Driver of the Month award belongs to David Danaho of Paragould, Ark.
Each driver has received numerous safety awards from the Arkansas-based flatbed carrier.
Employees will vote one of the 12 Drivers of the Month to be named the Driver of the Year at the end of 2006. As Driver of the Month, each recipient will also represent Maverick drivers on the prestigious Driver Advisory Council.
Trucker Buddy of the Month
Canadians Tracey Alf and Sean Dillon have been named ACS MultiMedia’s Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month for August.
The driver team is “Buddy” to Amy Donohue’s second-grade class in Clifton Park, N.Y. Company drivers for the Yanke Group of Companies in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the couple visited the class for the first time in June. Alf and Dillon live in Arnprior, Ontario.
“We were surprised at how enthusiastic the kids were and how interested they are in what we are doing,” Alf says. “It is a constant source of entertainment how their second-grade minds interpret what we say.”
Alf and Dillon send postcards and e-mail the class at Arongen Elementary School at least two times a week. The couple also sends postcards and e-mails on behalf of their dog, Buddy.
“Tracey and Sean are super buddies,” Donohue wrote in her nomination letter. “I could not have asked for a better set of pen pals. I’ll let them know the topics we are working on, and they find a way to include real-life examples of it in their e-mails.”
The couple plans to continue with the Trucker Buddy program, again matched with Donohue, and look forward to starting with a new second-grade class.
Each Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month receives a personalized jacket and several other prizes, along with a check for $300 to spend on the class and $200 in Trucker Buddy merchandise. Drivers and teachers can find out more about the program by visiting this site or calling 1-800-MY BUDDY.
